BCCF E-MAIL BULLETIN #187

Your editor welcomes any and all submissions - news of upcoming events, tournament reports, and anything else that might be of interest to B.C. players. Thanks to all who contributed to this issue.

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Stephen Wright

[Back issues of the Bulletin are available on the above webpage.]

HERE AND THERE

Donostia-San Sebastian Open (March 18 - April 4)

The peripatetic Leon Piasetski has just finished playing in an event in San Sebastian, Spain (or Donostia in the Basque language). San Sebastian was the site of two important tournaments in 1911 and 1912, won by Capablanca and Rubinstein respectively, but for the past thirty-three years it has been the location of an open tournament. This year's edition attracted 150 players and was won by IM Aramis Alvarez Pedraza of Cuba with 7.0/9. Piasetski finished the event with 5.5 points; also in the field was transplanted Canadian Kevin Spraggett, who was part of a five-way tie for second place.

Results, also game file: http://chess-results.com/tnr30848.aspx?art=4&lan=1&turdet=YES&m=- 1&wi=1000

Recuero Guerra, David - Piasetski, Leon [E67] 33rd Open Donostia ESP (5), 01.04.2010

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.d4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 0-0 5.0-0 d6 6.c4 Nbd7 7.Nc3 e5 8.b3 Re8 9.Qc2 exd4 10.Nxd4 Nc5 11.Bb2 c6 12.a3 h5 13.h3 h4 14.gxh4 Nh5 15.Nf3 Bf5 16.Qd1 Nf4 17.Ra2 Qd7 18.Ng5 Nxh3+ 19.Nxh3 Bxh3 20.f3 Bh6 21.b4 Be3+ 22.Kh2 Bxg2 23.Kxg2 Ne6 24.Rh1 Nf4+ 25.Kf1 d5 26.Bc1 Qf5 27.Rh2 Rad8 28.Rd2 d4 29.Na4 d3 30.exd3 Bxd2 31.Rxd2 Qh3+ 32.Kg1 Qg3+ 33.Kf1 Nxd3 0- 1 Ulibin, Mikhail - Piasetski, Leon [E94] 33rd Open Donostia ESP (7), 02.04.2010

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Nbd7 8.Be3 Re8 9.Qc2 c6 10.d5 Ng4 11.Bg5 f6 12.dxc6 bxc6 13.Bh4 Nh6 14.Rad1 Nf7 15.b4 Qc7 16.Qb3 Rb8 17.Qa3 Bf8 18.Qa4 Kg7 19.a3 a6 20.Rb1 Nd8 21.Rfc1 Nb6 22.Qd1 Qf7 23.b5 Be6 24.bxa6 Qa7 25.c5 dxc5 26.Na4 c4 27.Nxb6 Rxb6 28.Rxb6 Qxb6 29.Bxc4 Bxc4 30.Rxc4 Qxa6 31.Ra4 Qb7 32.h3 Ne6 33.Qc2 Re7 34.Rc4 c5 35.Rc3 Nd4 36.Nxd4 exd4 37.Rxc5 Qxe4 38.Qxe4 Rxe4 39.Rc7+ Kg8 40.g4 f5 41.f3 Re2 42.a4 d3 43.Rd7 Ra2 44.Rxd3 Rxa4 45.Bf2 fxg4 46.hxg4 Ra3 47.Rxa3 Bxa3 48.Kg2 1/2-1/2

World Amateur Chess Championship (March 19-25)

When we left off last issue Richard Huang (Vancouver) was tied for second with 5.0/6, while Agasta Kalra (Ottawa) and Regina-Veronicka Kalaydina (Calgary) had 4.0 points each. In the last three rounds Richard scored a further 2.0 points but unfortunately so did all the other contenders. This left him in the same position in the standings - tied with four other players for second place, a half-point behind winner Andrew Hubbard of Illinois. Richard was officially fourth after the application of tiebreaks, but the prize money was split equally between the tied players. Agasta and Regina could not keep up the same pace but nevertheless finished with plus scores, 5.0 and 5.5 points respectively. Regina took the fourth women's prize; the overall women's champion was Yun Fan (Indiana), who edged out Bayar Anu (Mongolia) on tiebreak - they both scored 6.5/9.

No games were broadcast live; a game file is apparently being prepared but is not currently available. http://www.worldchesschamps.com/ Photos by Betsy Dynako: http://betsydynako.shutterbugstorefront.com/scripts/expman.pl?rm=overview_gallery&dir=galleries/ 14

March Active (March 28)

Vicente Lee jr., Luc Poitras, and Jack Cheng tied for first in the latest monthly active tournament; each scored 5.0/6. Thirty-five players participated. Crosstable: http://www.chessmastery.com/bcactive/

Michael Yip Donation by Larry Bevand

The Chess'n Math Association is proud to announce a very generous donation by Michael Yip, author of two excellent books Checkmate University Book 1 and Checkmate University Book 2. Mike also taught chess to youngsters for the Chess'n Math Association in the 1990's in Montreal and continued teaching when he moved to B.C. The Chess'n Math Association is the distributor of these books.

Mike has decided to donate his future royalties from these two books to the reigning B.C. grade 1 champion every year beginning in 2010. Royalties earned in 2009 will go to the winner of the 2010 B.C. grade 1 champion which is determined in the first half of 2010 provided this player represents B.C. at the Nationals of the Canadian Chess Challenge in the same year. The youngster will receive the prize in a presentation at the National event. The 2011 B.C. grade 1 champion will receive the Royalties earned in 2010 etc. GRAND PACIFIC OPEN (April 2-5)

Last year's GPO featured a four-way tie for first on 5.0/6. This year there were also three players tied with 5.0 points, but unfortunately for B.C. Champion Jack Yoos, German FM Holger Grund, and Oregon's Radu-Laurentiu Roua, IM Lawrence Day improved on his score of last year by half a point to take clear first with 5.5. Ruining Wu went one better, winning the U1400 Section with a perfect score. Eighty-seven players participated in this year's edition of the GPO, held as usual at the luxurious facilities of the Hotel Grand Pacific in Victoria.

Full report, games, and photos: http://grandpacificopen.pbworks.com/4th-Annual-GPO-Event- Reports

Moore, Harry - Yoos, Jack [A25] GPO 4th Victoria (5), 04.04.2010

1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 d6 5.d3 Bg7 6.Rb1 a5 7.a3 f5 8.e3 Nf6 9.b4 axb4 10.axb4 0-0 11.Nge2 Ne7 12.0-0 c6 13.b5 Be6 14.Qb3 g5 15.f4 gxf4 16.gxf4 Qe8 17.fxe5 dxe5 18.Ba3 Ng4 19.Rf3 e4 20.dxe4 Ne5 21.Rg3 Bxc4 22.Qb4 N7g6 23.bxc6 bxc6 24.exf5 Rxf5 25.Nd4 Rf7 26.Bc1 Rc8 27.Ne4 c5 28.Nxc5 Bf8 29.Nc6 Rxc6 30.Bxc6 Rf1+ 0-1

Gansvind, Valeriya - Day, Lawrence [A01] GPO 4th Victoria (5), 04.04.2010

1.b3 Nc6 2.Bb2 e5 3.e3 a6 4.d4 f6 5.Bd3 Nh6 6.Nf3 d6 7.Nbd2 g6 8.a3 Bg7 9.dxe5 dxe5 10.Be4 0- 0 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.Nc4 Qd5 13.Qxd5+ cxd5 14.Na5 c5 15.b4 cxb4 16.axb4 Bf5 17.c3 Rfc8 18.0-0 Bf8 19.h3 Nf7 20.Rfd1 Be6 21.Nd2 Nd6 22.Nab3 Nb5 23.Rdc1 Rc6 24.Na5 Rc7 25.e4 Bh6 26.exd5 Bxd5 27.Rc2 Nd4 28.Rac1 Rac8 29.Kf1 Bf8 30.c4 Nxc2 31.Rxc2 Bxb4 32.Bc3 Bxc4+ 33.Naxc4 Rxc4 0-1

Scoones, Dan - Grund, Holger [A11] GPO 4th Victoria (5), 04.04.2010

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Bg4 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.c4 c6 5.Ne5 Bf5 6.cxd5 cxd5 7.Qa4+ Nbd7 8.Nc3 e6 9.g4 Bg6 10.h4 Bc2 11.b3 a6 12.Nxd7 Nxd7 13.d3 Qf6 14.Bd2 b5 15.Qf4 Qxf4 16.Bxf4 Rc8 17.Bd2 Ba3 18.Nd1 Ke7 19.Ne3 d4 20.Nxc2 Rxc2 21.Kd1 Rc7 22.Bc1 Bxc1 23.Rxc1 Rxc1+ 24.Kxc1 Ne5 25.Bh3 Rc8+ 26.Kd2 Rc3 27.Rc1 Rxc1 28.Kxc1 Ng6 29.h5 Nf4 30.Bf1 Nd5 31.Kd2 b4 32.e3 e5 33.Bg2 Nc3 34.exd4 exd4 35.Be4 h6 36.Bc6 Nxa2 37.Bd5 a5 38.Bc4 Nc3 39.Kc2 Kf6 40.Kd2 Kg5 0-1

Day, Lawrence - Sohal, Tanraj S. [B26] GPO 4th Victoria (6), 05.04.2010

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 e5 6.Be3 d6 7.Qd2 Nge7 8.Bh6 0-0 9.h4 f6 10.Bxg7 Kxg7 11.h5 Rh8 12.f4 Be6 13.Nf3 Nd4 14.h6+ Kf7 15.Nh4 Ke8 16.Nd1 Kd7 17.c3 Ndc6 18.Ne3 Kc7 19.Nd5+ Bxd5 20.exd5 Nb8 21.fxe5 fxe5 22.0-0 Rf8 23.Nf3 Nd7 24.Ng5 Rxf1+ 25.Rxf1 Qg8 26.Rf7 Re8 27.Rg7 Qh8 28.Rxh7 Qf6 29.Rf7 Qh8 30.Ne6+ Kc8 31.Ng7 Nf5 32.Nxe8 Qxe8 33.h7 Qxf7 34.h8Q+ Kc7 35.Qf2 1-0

Roua, Radu-Laurentiu - Patterson, Roger [A80] GPO 4th Victoria (6), 05.04.2010

1.d4 f5 2.Nc3 d5 3.e4 dxe4 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.f3 e5 6.dxe5 Qxd1+ 7.Kxd1 Nfd7 8.Bf4 Nb6 9.Bb3 Bb4 10.Nge2 exf3 11.gxf3 Na6 12.a4 Bd7 13.a5 Nc8 14.Nd5 Ne7 15.Nxb4 Nxb4 16.Rg1 Ng6 17.Bd2 Na6 18.e6 Bc6 19.Nd4 0-0-0 20.Nxc6 bxc6 21.Re1 Nc5 22.Bc4 Rd4 23.b3 Rhd8 24.Re2 Nf4 25.e7 Re8 26.Bf7 Nxe2 27.Bxe8 Nc3+ 28.Kc1 Nd5 29.Bf7 Nxe7 30.Be3 1-0 BUDAPEST SPRING FESTIVAL (March 19-27) by Michael Yip

I finished with 5/9 and experienced some sucesses and well as one completely forgettable failure. I lost to two unrated players but I also scored 1.5/3 against masters or titled players. The turnout was seventy-four players and the field was considerably weaker than the Perenyi Open in January. Same site, different organizer but higher entry fees: I paid 50% more than the January entry fee, but I cannot explain why there was such a wide difference in participation after only a one month gap in the tournament timing.

I took a long break to study up after playing in the January Perenyi Memorial Open so my expectations started off on a high note. But my round one unrated opponent killed me off nicely so I started off with a cold shower on my dream of improving my play. In round 8, I beat my first master since arriving here and should have beaten another in round 5 but my attention lapsed. However, I lost to both unrated players I faced but scored 5/7 against my rated opponents. http://firstsaturday.hu/1003/ (scroll down to the bottom)

Yip, Michael - Boguszlavszkij, Jevgenyij [A26] Budapest Spring Open (8), 27.03.2010 [Yip]

1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nc6 3.Bg2 g6 4.Nc3 Bg7 5.e4 d6 6.d3 f5 7.Nge2 Nf6 8.0-0 0-0 9.Be3?! 'It is not the right time to develop the c1 bishop because the e3 and g5 squares are not stable...' - Marin in The English Opening Volume 1. 9.Nd5 is the key move suggested by Marin. 9...Ne7 One of many replies. 10.Nxf6+! [Marin] 10...Bxf6 11.Bh6 Rf7 12.Qd2 Be6! [Marin] (12...c6 is also possible.) 13.b3 c6 14.Rad1 From this position (Line B62, p232), I have managed to add to Marin's analysis by digging into a couple of alternatives that Marin does not mention. 14...d5?! This leads to a loosening of Black's centre. Marin's only considers one alternative but there are two moves deserving more consideration. a) 14...Kh8 'is too passive' [Marin]; b) 14...Qc7= This is the first of two reasonable moves. 15.Rfe1 Rd8 16.Nc3= ; c) 14...Qb6!?N I prefer this more active queen move. 15.Rfe1 Re8 Discourages d4 by adding latent pressure on the e-file. (15...a5 16.d4!) 16.Rc1!? unclear. Both sides have chances. (16.d4 accomplishes nothing. 16...fxe4 17.Bxe4 Nf5 18.d5 cxd5 19.Bxf5 Bxf5 20.Qxd5 Be7 21.Nc3 Be6! 22.c5 dxc5 23.Qxe5 Bf6 24.Qd6 Qxd6 25.Rxd6 Rfe7 26.Ne4 Bd4!= Black has no problems.) ; 15.exd5 cxd5 16.Rfe1 Qd6 (16...Qb6 17.Bg5+/= [Marin]) 17.Bg5!? Bxg5 18.Qxg5 Rd8? This move of Marin's is too loosening. (18...Nc6 is an improvement but White is still better. 19.Nc3 d4 20.Nb5 Qc5 (20...Qd7 21.c5! Bd5 22.Nd6 Bxg2 23.Nxf7 Kxf7 24.Kxg2 Qd5+ 25.f3 Qxc5 26.Qh6 Kg8 27.Qc1! Qd6 28.Qc4+ Kg7 29.Rc1+/- ) 21.a3!+/= ) 19.Nc3+/= 'Black's centre is under heavy pressure.' [Marin] Agreed. Black needs an improvement as early as move 14. I suggest 14...Qb6!?= as the key improvement and 14...Qc7 as an acceptable alternative. 9...Ng4!? 10.Bd2N My defensive idea is the most reasonable under the circumstances. 10.Bc1 is too passive. 10...h5 Aggressive but just a bluff. 11.f3 (better is 11.Nd5+/= ) 11...Nh6 12.Nd5 h4 13.Be3 f4 14.gxf4 h3 15.Bh1 exf4 16.Bxf4 Rxf4 17.Ndxf4 Qg5+ 18.Kf2 Be5 19.Rg1 Bg4 20.fxg4 Bxf4 21.Nxf4 Qxf4+ 22.Qf3 Qd2+ 23.Kg3 Rf8 24.Qd1 Qf2+ 25.Kxh3 Nf7 26.Qc1 Kg7 27.Qc3+ Nce5 0-1 Lillelokken,K-Burgess,G (2315)/Gausdal 1997 10...f4!? I had some misgivings about my position after this move. Having an IM go after you so directly early in the opening is an unnerving feeling. 11.f3 Black cannot be allowed to play f4-f3 which would justify his aggressive f-pawn pushing idea. 11.gxf4 Accepting the pawn gives Black the attack he is looking for. 11...Qh4 with compensation; 11.h3? This is far too cooperative. I don't see why ...f3 should be allowed. 11...f3! 12.hxg4 (12.Bxf3 Is also bad. 12...Rxf3 13.hxg4 Bxg4-/+ Now White is horribly weak around his king on the light squares.) 12...Bxg4-/+ 13.Nc1 fxg2 14.Qxg4 gxf1Q+ 15.Kxf1 Nd4-+ 16.Kg2 Qf6 17.f4 h5 18.Qh3 c6 19.Nb3 exf4 20.gxf4 Ne6 21.Rf1 Bh6 22.Ne2 Rae8 23.d4 Ng5 24.Qd3 Nxe4 25.Nbc1 Nxd2 26.Qxd2 Re4 27.Nd3 Rfe8 28.Rf2 h4 29.Kh2 Qf5 30.Ndc1 Re3 31.Qd1 R8e4 32.Qf1 h3 33.Kh1 Kh7 34.a3 a5 35.a4 b6 36.b3 c5 37.d5 Kg7 38.Kh2 Qg4 39.Kh1 Kh7 40.Kh2 Bg7 41.Qg1 Qxg1+ 42.Nxg1 Re1 43.Rc2 Bh6 44.Nxh3 Bxf4+ 45.Nxf4 Rxf4 46.Nd3 Rh4+ 47.Kg3 Ree4 48.Nf2 Rd4 49.Re2 Rh5 50.Re7+ Kh6 51.Ng4+ Kg5 52.Nf2 Kh6 53.Ng4+ Kg5 54.Nf2 Rh8 55.Re6 Rd8 56.Ne4+ Kh5 57.Nxd6 Rg4+ 58.Kf3 Rf8+ 59.Ke3 Rg3+ 60.Ke2 Rg2+ 61.Ke3 Rg3+ 62.Ke2 Rxb3 63.Ne8 Kg5 64.d6 Rf7 65.Re7 Rbf3 66.Nc7 R3f6 67.Ne6+ Kh5 68.Nd8 Rf8 69.Ne6 R8f7 70.Nd8 Rf2+ 71.Ke3 R7f3+ 72.Ke4 Rf5 73.Ne6 Kg4 74.d7 Re2+ 75.Kd3 Rfe5 76.Nxc5 Rxe7 77.d8Q R7e3+ 78.Kd4 Rd2+ 79.Kxe3 Rxd8 0-1 Mochalov,E (2445)-Rustemov,A, Minsk 1993/EXT 1999 11...Nf6 12.Nd5 Calm centralization. White's position is in fact not so bad so White just tried to improve his position without giving Black additional targets. 12.gxf4!? Nh5 13.fxe5 dxe5 14.Nd5 Be6 Black has some compensation but not more. 12...g5 Black has formed the ideal pawn wedge and now I was expecting an avalanche of pawns in short order. 13.Bc3 Ne7 14.Nxe7+!? Not allowing ...Ng6. 14.d4 Ng6 15.dxe5 dxe5 was what I was trying to avoid and Black has transferred a potential attacker to the kingside. 14...Qxe7 15.d4 Countering Black's flank action with a thrust in the centre. 15...c6 15...exd4!? is a reasonable defence and gives black equality. 16.Bxd4 Nd7 17.Bxg7 Qxg7 18.b3 a5= 16.Qd3 The queen is usefully placed here guarding f3 and c4 while preparing to support the centre with Rd1. 16...b6?! I don't really see how this improves Black's position. Black's play seems a bit hesitant now. 17.b4!? Grabbing useful space and trying to set up useful pawn moves in the centre and on the queenside. 17...h5

18.c5!? Matching Black's aggression with counter pawn thrusts in the centre. 18...Rd8 19.Rfd1 dxc5 20.bxc5 bxc5 It looks as though Black can retake on d4 and get a nice position but White has a useful resource at his disposal. 21.Ba5! Unclear. From this point, both players make a series a errors in a tense and complicated position. 21...Be6?! Giving in too easily. 21...Rxd4!? is the best way to give up the exchange. 22.Nxd4 cxd4 23.Rdc1 Bd7 24.gxf4 gxf4 25.Rab1 with the initiative. 22.Bxd8 Rxd8 23.Qa3!? The pin against the queen is the key to White holding the position together. 23.gxf4! Stabilizing the kingside first is best. 23...gxf4 (23...exf4 24.Rac1! cxd4 25.Nxd4 Qb4 (25...c5? 26.Nc6!+-) 26.e5 Ne8 27.a3 Qa4 28.Qe4! Bf7+/- ) 24.Qa3! Bc4 (24...exd4 25.Rac1 Bf8 26.Nxf4+/=) 25.Bf1 Bxe2 26.Bxe2 exd4 27.Rab1 is similar to the game. 23...Bc4?! This leads to a loss of control over the light squares and gives White the better chances. 23...exd4! is the best defence and results in an equal position. 24.Nxd4 Rxd4 25.Rxd4 Nxe4! 26.Rxe4 Bxa1 27.Bf1 Qd6 28.Qxa7 g4!? (unclear) 29.Rxe6 Bd4+ 30.Kg2 gxf3+ 31.Kxf3 Qxe6 32.Qb8+ Kg7 33.Qc7+ Kg8 34.Qb8+ White should take the perpetual. 24.Bf1 Bxe2 25.Bxe2 exd4+/= 26.Bc4+?! Useful but not clearly necessary. 26.gxf4! Stabilizing the kingside is strong. 26...gxf4 27.Rab1+/= 26...Kh8 27.Rab1? This should have lost the game for me. White does not appreciate the importance of stabilizing the queenside and gives Black a chance to launch a serious attack. 27.gxf4! It is critical to play gf! first to stabilize the kingside. 27...gxf4 28.Rab1= 27...fxg3! Now Black takes advantage of White's ommission and starts his attack. 28.hxg3 Qe5!-/+ Now Black is clearly better according to Rybkka3. 29.Kg2 h4 (With attack.) 30.gxh4 gxh4-+ White is lost [Rybkka3] 31.f4!? I thought that this was the best try at confusing the issue. 31...Qxe4+ 32.Qf3 Qxf3+? Black falters in a complicated position. 32...Qc2+! 33.Be2 Re8!-+ wins for Black. (33...d3? is the line that I saw but it is too cooperative. 34.Rxd3 Rxd3 35.Qxd3 Qxd3 36.Bxd3+/- ) 33.Kxf3+/= Nd5 34.Rh1 Bf6

35.Rb7!?= White plays normal active moves to improve his position. 35...Ne3? A blunder that gives White strong white square play. Better is 35...Re8! which allows Black to hold. 36.Rxa7= I have found nothing for White so far. 36...d3 37.Bxd5 cxd5 38.Rd7 d2 39.Rd1 Bc3 40.Rxd5 Kg7 41.Rxc5 Re1 42.Rg5+ Kf6 43.Rg1= ; 35...Rg8? is also losing but it is not easy to see even with computer help. 36.Ke4 Re8+ 37.Kf5 Rf8 38.Bxd5 cxd5 39.Kg6! The active decides matters. 39...Bd8 (39...d3? 40.Rf7 Rxf7 41.Kxf7 Bd8 42.f5 Kh7 43.f6 Kh6 44.Ke6 Bxf6 45.Kxf6 Kh5 46.Ke5 Kg4 47.Kxd5 h3 48.Rh2! Kg3 49.Rd2+- ) 40.Rh7+! White has a forced wih from here. 40...Kg8 41.Rg7+ Kh8 42.Rg1! Now White wins. 42...Rxf4 43.Kh6 Rf6+ 44.R1g6 Rxg6+ 45.Kxg6 h3 46.Rd7 Bb6 47.Re7 Forces mate. 36.Bd3+- Kg8 This allows the quickest finish but Black is lost. 36...c4 37.Be4 Nd5 (37...Re8 also loses. 38.Rf7 Bg7 39.Rg1 Rg8 40.Rg5!+-) 38.Rf7+- ; 36...Nd5 37.Rh7+ Kg8 38.Rg1+ Kf8 39.Bg6 Bg7 40.Bf5 Ne7 41.Be6 Rd6 42.f5 Nxf5 43.Bxf5 Bf6 44.Bd3+- 37.Rg1+ Kf8 38.Bh7+- I was happy to win this tough fight but my opponent clearly faltered at various moments in the game. I chatted briefly with GM Josef Horvath after the game and he mentioned that my opponent, a veteran IM, had beaten Pinter and drawn him in the Hungarian team championship twenty years ago. 1-0

VASILY VASILIEVICH SMYSLOV (24 March 1921 - 27 March 2010)

It is my sad duty to note the passing of former world champion Vasily Smyslov, just a few days after his eighty-ninth birthday. I will not attempt to duplicate the large amount of material which has appeared elsewhere on the internet concerning his life and legacy (The Week in Chess is a good starting point), but will instead make a few comments from a Canadian and personal perspective.

Smyslov never visited this country, largely as a result of circumstances. Smyslov's peak as a player coincided with the Cold War in the 1950s and 1960s, but aside from state political differences there were also very few events suitable for players of his strength in North America at the time. He did play in a USSR-USA team match in New York in 1954 (Kotov and Boleslavsky toured Canada following the event), but his next U.S. appearance was not until Lone Pine 1976, then a couple of open tournaments in New York in the late 1980s. Nevertheless Smyslov did meet a number of Canadian players over the board, largely in interzonal and candidates' events. Smyslov may have been world champion for only one year, but the sheer longevity of his playing career, well into old age, meant he was engaged in world championships or their respective qualfiers from 1948 (world championship match tournament) to 1997 (FIDE world championship knockout event). Smyslov played Vranesic, Suttles, Biyiasas, and Piasetski in interzonal tournaments and Kevin Spraggett in the 1985 Montpellier Candidates' tournament; he also played Yanofsky, Suttles and Biyiasas at other international events. Smyslov's unbeaten record against these Canadians was five wins and three draws. The Hungarian players Geza Fuster and Elod Macskasy also met Smyslov before they emigrated/fled to this country - Fuster lost in a Moscow-Budapest match, but Macskasy won his game as a part of a six- board clock simultaneous exhibition given by Smyslov as drawn by six-time B.C. champion Smyslov in Budapest, 1947. Unfortunately Miervaldis Jursevskis this game has yet to come to light.

Here are three games against Canadian grandmasters. A positional player and one of the greatest practitioners of the endgame, Smyslov was also known for petite combinations, and the last two games contain good examples. One could argue that resignation was premature in both cases, but apparently neither opponent wanted to test the former world champion's technique.

Suttles, Duncan - Smyslov, Vasily [C29] Venice, 1974

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 d5 4.exd5 exf4 5.Bb5+ c6 6.dxc6 bxc6 7.Be2 Bd6 8.Nf3 0-0 9.0-0 Nbd7 10.Kh1 Re8 11.b3 Bb7 12.a4 a6 13.a5 c5 14.Ng1 Qc7 15.Bf3 Bxf3 16.Nxf3 c4 17.bxc4 Qxc4 18.Ra4 Qc7 19.Bb2 Rab8 20.Ba1 Rb4 21.Rxb4 Bxb4 22.Ne2 Bxa5 23.Nfd4 Nd5 24.Nf5 f6 25.Ned4 Ne5 26.Qe2 Qd7 27.Qxa6 Bxd2 28.Nd6 Rd8 29.N4f5 Nf7 30.Rd1 Nxd6 31.Nxd6 Qxd6 32.Qxd6 Rxd6 33.Rxd2 Rb6 0-1

Biyiasas, Peter - Smyslov, Vasily [C41] Bar YUG, 1980

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 exd4 4.Qxd4 Bd7 5.Bg5 Nc6 6.Qd2 Be7 7.Bxe7 Qxe7 8.Nc3 Nf6 9.0-0-0 0- 0-0 10.Bd3 Rhe8 11.Rhe1 Ne5 12.Nd4 Nxd3+ 13.cxd3 Qe5 14.Nf3 Qa5 15.h3 Be6 16.Kb1 d5 17.e5 d4 18.exf6 dxc3 19.bxc3 gxf6 20.Nd4

(see diagram next page) 20...Rxd4 21.cxd4 0-1 (21...Qxd2 22.Rxd2 23.Bxa2+ Kxa2 24.Rxe1)

Spraggett, Kevin - Smyslov, Vasily [E11] Montpellier ct FRA (6), 1985

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 a5 5.Nc3 0-0 6.e3 d6 7.Qc2 Nbd7 8.Bd3 e5 9.0-0 Re8 10.e4 exd4 11.Nxd4 c6 12.Rae1 Ne5 13.h3 Bc5 14.Be3

14...Bxh3 0-1 (15.gxh3 Bxd4 16.Bxd4 Nf3+)

Personally Smyslov was one of my early chess heroes, and his 125 Selected Games a favourite monograph. It also didn't hurt that he, like me, was interested in music - we are both baritones. This interest was reflected in the title of his autobiography - "In search of harmony."

Vechnaya pamiat - eternal memory (from the Orthodox memorial liturgy).

Portisch, Lajos - Smyslov, Vasily [A81] Portoroz (3), 1971

This game was published in Bulletin #10(!). Full annotations may be found in Jan Timman's superb book The Art of Chess Analysis.

1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.b3 0-0 6.Bb2 d5!? Unusual in this position; Black now has a hole on e5, but White's bishops are stymied. Normal is 6...d6. 7.c4 c6 8.0-0 Be6!? Putting pressure on c4 and 'inviting' White to win the two bishops with Ng5; Timman suggests 8...Kh8 to give the bishop a home on g8. 9.Ng5 Bf7 10.Nc3 Qe8 A standard queen development in the Leningrad Dutch these days, but in positions where the Black d-pawn is back on d6. 11.Qd3 h6 12.Nxf7 Qxf7 13.f3 Nbd7 14.e4? Thematic, but in this case wrong. White should insert 14.cxd5 first: 14...Nxd5 15.e4 Nxc3 16.Bxc3 Rad8 17.Rad1 with a small plus for White (Timman). 14...dxc4! Giving up the centre in order to attack it. 15.bxc4 Nb6 16.c5? White's centre is a sitting duck after this - he had to try 16.d5, although Black retains pressure with 16...Nfd7. 16...Nc4 17.Bc1 Rad8 18.Rb1 Nd7 19.d5 19.Rxb7? Nxc5. 19...b5! Supporting the N/c4, if 20.cxb6 Ndxb6 and d5 will fall. 20.dxc6 Nxc5 21.Qc2 a6 22.f4 Bxc3! Black gives up his strong bishop in order to gain control of the central light squares. 23.Qxc3 Nxe4 24.Bxe4 fxe4 25.a4 Qd5 26.axb5 axb5 27.Bb2 Rf6! I assume that Smyslov gave 27...Nxb2?, giving up the dominating knight, scant attention. 28.Ba1 Qc5+ 29.Kh1 Qxc6 30.Rbd1 e3+ 31.Kg1 Rd2 32.Rxd2 exd2 33.Qb3 Rd6 34.Qc3 e5 35.Rd1 Qc5+ 36.Kh1 Qe3 37.fxe5 Rd3 0-1

Nelson Spring Open

Date: April 10 Where: Nelson Senior's Hall, 717 Vernon St., Nelson BC. Time Control: Game/20 Number of Rounds: 5 or 6, depending on entries Registration: 8:30-9:30 am. Round Times: Starting at 9:30 and then ASAP with 1 hour break for lunch at noon. Prizes: $100, $50, and $25 plus medals for 1st, 2nd, 3rd Entry Fee: $15 Contact: Barry Boates at [email protected] 250-505-0768 Misc: Please brind a set and clock. A limited number of sets and clocks will be available from the club. This tournament is not CFC rated and no membership is required.

Frozen Custard Active

When: Sunday April 18, 2010 Where: Milwaukee Market Creamery, 1342 Hornby, Vancouver (near Pacific St.) Rounds: 6 rounds at 12:00 noon / 12:45 / 1:30 / 2:15 / 3:00 / 3:40 Type: Swiss Active with time control Game/10 +10 sec. increment (game/17 if no digital clock) Registration: On site from 11:30 am. Entry Fee: $10 Prizes: 1st $80, 2nd $50, U1900 $50, Biggest upset $20; Based on 20 entries. Misc: 15% discount on any purchases in the Cafe for chess players Info: Henry 604-688-2155 or Luc 778-846-0496 [email protected] Bring your own chess equipment.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Junior events

April 11 Provincial Chess Challenge, Richmond April 24-25 BCYCC, New Westminster UBC Thursday Night Swiss

Thursdays, 6:30 pm, Irving K. Barber Learning Centre room 191, 1961 East Mall, University of British Columbia Contact Aaron Cosenza, [email protected]

Nelson Spring Open

April 10, Nelson Details: http://chess.bc.ca/events.shtml#Nelson

Frozen Custard Active

April 18, Vancouver Details: http://chess.bc.ca/events.shtml#AprilActive

May Active

May 16, Vancouver Details: http://chess.bc.ca/events.shtml#MayActive

35th Paul Keres Memorial

May 22-24, Richmond Details: http://keresmemorial.pbworks.com/

June Active

June 6, Vancouver Details: http://chess.bc.ca/events.shtml#JuneActive